Hydrogen-rich water improves sleep consolidation and enhances forebrain neuronal activation in mice

Scott M Vincent; Melika Madani; Dante Dikeman; Kyle Golden; Naomi Crocker; Cameron Jackson; Sam P Wimmer; Mary Dover; Alexis Tucker; Cristina A Ghiani; Christopher S Colwell; Tyler W LeBaron; Alex Tarnava; Ketema N Paul

doi:10.1093/sleepadvances/zpad057

Hydrogen-rich water improves sleep consolidation and enhances forebrain neuronal activation in mice

Sleep Adv. 2023 Dec 30;5(1):zpad057. doi: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpad057. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
² Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
⁴ Department of Kinesiology and Outdoor Recreation, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT, USA.
⁵ Molecular Hydrogen Institute, Enoch, UT, USA.
⁶ Natural Wellness Now Health Products Inc, Maple ridge, BC, Canada.

Abstract

Study objectives: Sleep loss contributes to various health issues and impairs neurological function. Molecular hydrogen has recently gained popularity as a nontoxic ergogenic and health promoter. The effect of molecular hydrogen on sleep and sleep-related neural systems remains unexplored. This study investigates the impact of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on sleep behavior and neuronal activation in sleep-deprived mice.

Methods: Adult C57BL/6J mice were implanted with electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) recording electrodes and given HRW (0.7-1.4 mM) or regular water for 7 days ad libitum. Sleep-wake cycles were recorded under baseline conditions and after acute sleep loss. Neuronal activation in sleep- and wake-related regions was assessed using cFos immunostaining.

Results: HRW increased sleep consolidation in undisturbed mice and increased non-rapid-eye movement and rapid-eye-movement sleep amount in sleep-deprived mice. HRW also decreased the average amount of time for mice to fall asleep after light onset. Neuronal activation in the lateral septum, medial septum, ventrolateral preoptic area, and median preoptic area was significantly altered in all mice treated with HRW.

Conclusions: HRW improves sleep consolidation and increases neuronal activation in sleep-related brain regions. It may serve as a simple, effective treatment to improve recovery after sleep loss.

Keywords: HRW; cFos; deprivation; fragmentation; hydrogen-rich water; hypnotic; insomnia; latency; septual nuclei; sleep.

Abstract

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